Chapter 23. Genesis 40. Joseph in Prison.
JOSEPH was a faithful slave to Potiphar, who had bought him from the Ishmaelites, and the Lord blessed him and made him prosperous, so that Potiphar saw that the Lord was with him and made him overseer over his house and all that he had was put under his hands. And from that time, God blessed the Egyptian house for Joseph’s sake; Potiphar had such confidence in him that he did not even know what he possessed for he had left all with Joseph.
But Potiphar’s wife was a wicked woman who went to her husband with a false accusation against Joseph, and his master believed it and in his anger, cast Joseph into prison. But God could be with him there as well as in Potiphar’s house, and while it must have seemed very hard to be so unjustly treated, God had allowed it for Joseph’s great blessing, as we shall see later, for that is often the way the Lord works with us. Were we never to have trials or sorrows, there are many sweet lessons we should never learn, and many blessings we should miss: “All things work together for good to them that love God.” Rom. 8: 28.
God blessed Joseph in prison and caused him to be well liked by the keeper of the prison so that he put under his authority all the prisoners, and did not look to anything himself, any more. And the Lord was with Joseph in all that he did and made him prosper.
While Joseph was in prison, the chief butler and the chief baker of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt offended their lord who sent them both to prison. One morning when Joseph went in to see them, he found them sad and asked them: “Why do you look so sadly today?” They answered: “We have had dreams and there is no one to tell us the meaning of them.” Joseph answered: “God sends the dreams. He only knows the interpretation. Tell me your dreams, I pray you.” And the chief butler told his dream and said: “I saw, in my dream, a vine before me, and in the vine were three branches with the blossoms shooting forth, and the clusters brought ripe grapes. And Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed the juice into the cup and gave it to Pharaoh.” Joseph said: “This is the meaning of your dream: The three branches are three days; in three days Pharaoh will restore thee to thy place and thou shalt give the cup into his hand.” And Joseph added “Do not forget me when it shall be well with thee. Speak for me to Pharaoh and bring me out of prison, for I was stolen away from Canaan and brought to Egypt, and I have done nothing that they should put me into this dungeon.” Then the baker told his dream and said: “I had three baskets upon my head, they were full of baked meats for Pharaoh; and the birds came and ate the meat out of the uppermost basket on my head.” Joseph answered: “The three baskets are three days. In three days Pharaoh will hang thee upon a tree and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.” All happened as Joseph said, for God had given him the wisdom and power to interpret the dreams aright. In three days was Pharaoh’s birthday, and he made a feast for all his servants and called the chief butler and the chief baker out of prison. He restored the butler to his place and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand; but the baker was hung as Joseph had said.
Did the butler remember Joseph and ask the king to take him out of prison? No; he quite forgot him. When happy and safe himself he thought no more about Joseph. But God did not forget his servant, for he never leaves nor forsakes His own, though He may see fit, for their good, to make them pass through suffering.
What a beautiful example of faithfulness and honesty under the most trying circumstances! Joseph feared God and sought to serve Him “not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Col. 3:22-2422Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: 23And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:22‑24).
ML 07/11/1909